Orphans Beloved-Fade to Dark
by regertz
Summary: Like my Immortal Beloved bits in my Buffyverse stories, these are fragments and short bits, some longer…Just to fiddle with ideas, possibly forming longer tales later. Rachel forms an unholy alliance with Bonnie Johansen and the Dark Side of the Clone Club.
1. Chapter 1

"Orphans Beloved: "Fade to Dark…"

Summary: Like my Immortal Beloved bits in my Buffyverse stories, these are fragments and short bits, some longer…Just to fiddle with ideas, possibly forming longer tales later.

Rachel forms an unholy alliance with Bonnie Johansen and the Dark Side of the Clone Club.

Disclaimer: No copywrite infringement intended…

(Note-I'll see how this one goes, may pull it into a full tale)

""I really hate to have had to be the bearer of such tidings…" Marion Bowles, just a bit too bright for projecting sympathy, smile, elegant as always in tailored suit. "Especially at the start of the holidays…"

"I'm out. Just like that…?" Rachel, in hospital bed…Eye patch chaffing a bit, she furiously pressed her nurse's page button. "Idiot!" she graciously addressed the hurrying young nurse's "Yes, Ms. Duncan?"

"Eye patch, again!"

"Sorry, Ms. Duncan…"

"Sorry to trouble you, Margaret…" Marion, warmly, as the nurse worked on the dressing under the patch and adjusted the patch's strap. "Anyway, Ms. Duncan will be leaving shortly…You can let them know the room will be free in an hour."

Hmmn? Rachel stared…

But…My eye's still…Not replaced by one of the inferior models' used as a spare.

And it still stings…

"Could you lay out her clothes before you go? Thanks, Margaret." Marion, beaming warmly.

"So…" She turned to Rachel. "The doctors say you can leave…" friendly polite pause… "And I'm sure you want to get home and start settling your affairs."

"Topside can't remove me from Dyad…This is a minor physical disability, easily corrected."

"Rachel…Dear heart…" Marion, the sympathetic look again.

I bet she had that look ready for Aldous if I hadn't gotten him out first, Rachel thought.

My poor second daddy…Who surely dreams of vengeance…

Well, little foster daughter will soon be with you to plan strategy...For our mutual return from the dead.

"…If I'd had any say in the affair…" Marion continued. "But, the board feels that at such a critical time in Dyad's existence…"

"All I need is one damned eyeball, Marion…Give me a glass one temporarily until we bring in one of the spares and…Dr. Nealon can easily yank one out of…"

"Rachel. I'm afraid that Dr. Nealon is no longer with Dyad." Sigh. "Seems he was involved in some rather shady affairs. Unethical, but more important, fiscal…He's been terminated."

Hard stare indicating it was termination of the extreme prejudice variety…

"And sadly I guess the shock of discovery and scandal was too much for him, poor man…He committed suicide two days ago. A tragedy…"

Cut to shot of Nealon in open body bag, ghastly look of horror on face…

"Indeed." Rachel, curtly.

So much for my assistant Dr. Mengele…Well, Rachel Duncan needs no one…

Though Daddy Aldous? Please come and make it all better…

"As I've noted, the severance package is quite generous…"

Should allow me to stay in my apartment for about a year if I skimp... Well, if the tramp can take to the open road, and the pathetic housewife can live in suburban Hell with the lump in bovine joy, I can manage to…Uggg…Downgrade my lifestyle a bit…

Until vengeance is mine…

"There's no chance this could just be…An extended leave…?" Rachel spoke up, surprising Marion by the pleading tone…

"You know how devoted to the mission of Dyad I am, Marion…To our goals for biotechnology…" earnest look.

"No." Marion, flatly…Then smile again, warmest of beams… "I wouldn't want to give you false hopes, Rachel. The board has made its decision."

"Delphine Cormier. To take my place? Hardly a professional decision, Marion. The woman's a fine scientist I grant you but how can you expect her to make the hard choices required…?"

Marion, sighing…

"Topside would prefer Dyad to take a new course, Rachel. There's been too much violence and pushing of the ethical envelope recently. The Manning kidnapping, a threat of unauthorized surgery on one of our subjects…Your own aide Daniel Rosen involved in the murder of a police officer and the possible framing of Felix Dawkins? It just doesn't project the image Topside wishes to be conveyed just now, Rachel."

"I was told to get the task accomplished…By any means necessary…" Rachel, sincerely annoyed now…

Jesus, this is the thanks I get? Tossed out on the clone reject pile…?

Ummn…She blinked.

Lets hope not literally so…

"And your service is appreciated. But, no longer required…" Marion, coolly. "Ah…" she turned to where Nurse Margaret had laid out Rachel's suit, underwear, and shoes. "I see you're all set now. And don't worry, a driver will take you home and you are still fully covered by your medical insurance for your time here." Smile…Pat on arm as she rose. "Naturally, I'll want to keep in touch. Call me sometime, we'll do lunch." She turned and headed out the door, the nurse following a moment later…To Rachel's fury, clearly repressing a giggle.

God…Damn…Bitch! She threw the nearest thing, the room's television remote control at the closed door.

All right…

All…Right…

Right…She breathed deeply.

Can't let this overwhelm me. If the tramp and the psychotic can survive to fight another day, the fair-haired daughter of Neolution can bide her time to ultimate triumph.

Buzz from phone…

"Yes. My driver will be here in fifteen minutes? How…Wonderful. Thank you." She hung up, grim look, rising slowly, a bit painfully, out of bed.

God, it's hard to judge without depth perception…She eyed the clothes on chair, reaching.

….

"Ho, ho…Arggh…Avast, there Matey!" the fifth drunken fool…This one in Santa suit, no less, to address Rachel as she walked from her apartment to a nearby restaurant for the first decent meal she'd had in two weeks. "Merry…Uhhh…" groan as he fell in the street at her vicious elbow to the stomach.

Yeah, you too…She sneered, grimly eyeing the stunned passers-by…Generally fairly well-dressed, it being her rather posh neighborhood.

"Piss off!" she glared…Though noting one dapper young fellow reaching for his cell while another man helped the old drunk up, several frowning at her now. She blanched the slightest bit…Really should've let him have it in that alleyway…I could have robbed his bucket as well, I can use all the ready cash I can get…Not so much worried by the growing threat of arrest minus the legal immunity she had so recently enjoyed as by the knowledge "her kind" would find her wanting…

Clearly some rude, nouveau-riche, housewifes of somewhere type allowed to live in our neighborhood by virtue of a pile of cash acquired by God-knows what means…Drug dealing, Plumbing, Insurance fraud, Walmart heir…

She attempted to regain the high ground of 1% privilege… "The fellow was harassing me. Who hired this drunk to…" she eyed the injured Santa…

Uh-oh… Isn't that the vice mayor?

"I was just coming from the Childrens' Hospital's disabled children's Christmas party…" the vice mayor groaned to one young woman assisting him. "I just saw her patch and…"

"I videod it, she attacked him…" one earnest young woman cried.

God, there's always one…Rachel sighed.

How do people like that manage to slip into our urban paradise?

"Clearly a misunderstanding…" Rachel tried, raising hands in placating gesture.

And here come the boys in blue, she sighed, eyeing the police car and emerging officers…

Lovely…

"What do we have here?" the lead officer, gun drawn. "Oh…" he looked at Rachel's raised hands. "Another cop-hating liberal bleeding heart, eh?"

"No…No…" Rachel, putting hands down.

"Get those hands up, you cop-hating Commie Occupier Obama lover!" the officer called. "Jerry, shoot her if she breathes!" he noted to the other officer. "Here's our chance to show there's no racial motivations in our behavior."

Great…I'm the poster child for "we'll shoot anyone" Rachel stared.

Not that I don't fully support unrestrained use of deadly force by our law enforcement officials when they're acting as my lackeys…

"She attacked the vice mayor!" one of the group about the vice mayor cried.

"But don't you shoot her if she's engaged in valid protest…" the earnest young woman insisted. "I'm taping this."

Uhnnn…The lead officer groaned. "All right, cuff her Jerry. Ma'am, you are under arrest for assault and as a possible terrorist, you have the right to remain silent…"

…..

Squad car enroute to station…Rachel sadly eyeing…One eyeing…Passing lights and decorations…

…All the times Daniel and I would have a tree cut to our exacting specifications by Martha Stewart and we'd go watch the neighborhood children caroling in Dickensian costume. Daniel happily noting how he'd enjoy torturing them to death, while I simply relished the thought of kidnapping and having them to display as my own precious ones. Then, we'd head home to watch Christmas movies while Daniel would mock the sentimental fool "heroes and heroines"… "Eat this for Christmas, Clarence!" he'd point gun and mock fire. Pretending to be a Christmas Eve party guest throwing away money in Bailey's basket, "Mr. Potter says…Hello!" grin at door and depart, mimicking explosion as the bomb he'd concealed in the wad of cash goes off, providing a new and happy ending.

"I don't suppose the fact that I'm head of Dyad Group matters to you…Or that you will be out of a job and imprisoned shortly?" she tried.

"Yeah, yeah…Tell it to the liberal media, lady." The lead officer noted.

Hmmn…Jerry on the horn with the station, looking in the rear-view apprehensively.

Ah, a glimmer of intelligence…Rachel beamed.

"Uh, Joe? Her name checks out…Rachel Duncan, head of Dyad Group."

Phew…Rachel, relieved. Still only walking dead, not fully dead yet.

"I'd like to make my phone call? Now?" she noted grimly.

…..

"I trust you realize this is the last action our firm can take on your behalf, Ms. Duncan…" the grim-face lawyer in dark suit and sunglasses…So nearly identical to poor Daniel, she'd blinked…One…At him and briefly pondered the clonal possibilities…

No…The military went strictly for brawn over brains…The firm just likes to hire a certain type, clever, brutally ruthless, with a minor physical flaw like lack of height to encourage a drive for sadistic revenge on the world that can be channeled. And since the Nazi and Soviet Communist Parties are no longer hiring, opportunities in well-developed nations aren't what they used to be, though corporations like Dyad are doing their best to take up the slack…

…Or, were…She frowned.

New path, indeed.

I'll "new path" them, the bastards…

"Yes, I understand, Mr. Howe." She smiled frostily. "But I appreciate you're taking care of this last little problem."

"Avoiding complications is my job, Ms. Duncan. Please bear that in mind in the future."

Yeah…I get the "or you're dead clone meat, bitch" there…Rachel thought.

"You can drop me here…I'm going to dinner." She noted.

And it's a crowded, public street…

"Fine. Enjoy. And don't worry about the charges, they'll be dropped. The vice mayor is a personal friend of Marion Bowles." Howe,calmly…Signaling the driver to stop the car.

That icy indifference…I think I may weep…Rachel thought…

Oh, Daniel…

I shall avenge you…And more effectively than some ranting Khan Noonian Singh.

"You know you remind me…" she began…The door slamming in her face, the limo speeding off.

Oh…Just the way Daniel would have done it…

Oh…

….

"What a nice costume…I like the understatement of the pirate, confined to just the eyepatch. Tres elegant, Ms. Duncan, as always." The maitre'd of her favorite restaurant noted, with polished smile. She grimly thanking him.

"Sadly, this is not Halloween. And more sadly…It appears we are unable to seat you tonight, I'm sorry…A busy evening."

She stared. "But I have a standing table…"

"I'm afraid that has been transferred to the new head of the Dyad Group…Dr…."

"Cormier? Delphine Cormier has my table?!"

"I only wish I could accommodate you, Ms. Duncan. If you'd made a reservation…A week or two in advance…" politely apologetic look. "I can recommend several other very fine establishments in the area…"

"It's…Fine…Thank you." She eyed him grimly, turning.

Delphine Cormier has my job…And my table…

Probably will take my apartment here and back in Boston after I have to leave…

And her girlfriend has my eyeball…So to speak…Well, one of the potential replacements anyway…

Damn.

…..

"What do you mean…Frozen?" Rachel on phone, inside ATM cubicle. "How can you freeze my accounts over Daniel Rosen's gambling debts?! His name was what?! I can appeal to whom?! When?! Son of a…!" she threw the phone down.

Hmmn…Might not want to be so harsh with a $2000 phone I might want to return or sell…She eyed the phone on the ground.

Yes…She lifted the shattered case. I might not have wanted to be so harsh…

Well, I still have the tramp's pink phone…She sighed. Lovely…

Goddamn that little bastard…Putting his name on my accounts and financing his debts on me.

So like him…She thought, fondly.

Well, I've got to have one account or something still open…Perhaps Marion can expedite that severance package a bit…To a new account or in cash…

It appears I will not be drowning my sorrows in a wild spree on the town…Sigh…

Bet the tramp and Kira are dining well tonight, with dear ole daddy. Secure in the knowledge that some son or daughter of a bitch at Topside decided in their favor for good PR.

May as well go home and clean out the wine cellar while I still have it…

"What kind of pirate are you?" a little girl eyed her.

"The worst kind, a corporate pirate." Rachel, coldly.

"A pretty dumb one…This is Christmas time, not Halloween…" the girl sneered, turning away.

Oh, my…The little girl of my dreams…Rachel blinked.

Hmmn…All alone, are we? She eyed the girl.

Well, no reason not to keep up my skills in kidnapping and psychological torture…

And I do so want to be a mother…

I'm so good with children.

"MOMMMIEEE!" the girl shrieked as Rachel grabbed her, groaning as the little girl gave her a surprisingly solid punch to the stomach.

Oh, God…She grimaced, looking at her ruined suit as "Mommy" raced to her girl, glaring at Rachel.

Worst of it is…It's hospital food…Eyeing the soiled suit.

….

Toronto Metropolitan Police HQ…

"So you tried to kidnap a nine year old?" Art Bell eyed the seated, handcuffed Rachel fuming in her chair.

"Cute…" another officer, female…Her badge identifying her as "Det. Angela DeAngelis" standing near. "Another step down in your career, Manning? Or should I say, 'Rachel Duncan'…Fake id, is it?"

"You're not Sarah Manning…Whatever you claim." Art, calmly. "You are actually Rachel, aren't you?"

"Don't know what you're bloody talkin' about, mate…er, Art. You know I'm Sarah, the low-life grafter who keeps poppin' up. I just happened to find that Rachel's stuff in the street…"

"Now that I believe, Art." DeAngelis grinned…"With the minor change…Stole the lady's stuff from her in the street."

"Another sister who happens to resemble you?" Art eyed Rachel.

"That is the interesting thing…" Angie nodded. "Lets lock her up and see what we can find out."

"Angie…" Art put up a hand. "Look, Ms. Duncan…I can guess why you want to cover, claiming to be Sarah. But, this is a charge that could put you away…And if you think I'm going to let you walk when you're guilty of all…"

Angie, eager expectation…

Finally…The payoff on all this weirdness…

"…Well, we'll look into it later…" Art sighed. Angie frowning…Damnit, Art…

Lieutenant Hardcastle walked by, staring…Stopping to eye Rachel who gave him a defiant leer…

"Jesus Christ, is this another one?"

"Nah, just me, Sarah Manning, payin' a visit, Lieutenant…I decided to go upscale again. How are you?" leer.

"Art?" Hardcastle looked to Bell who sighed.

"Sortin' things out, Lieutenant. But this isn't Sarah Manning. Meet Ms. Rachel Duncan, of the Dyad Group…Just having a little fun with us. "

"Uh-huh. Well…Lady…We may have to keep it polite so as to avoid any more attempts at suspending my officers…" Hardcastle glared. "But we will do our jobs, no matter what you and your lawyers try to pull…"

"Got me all wrong, Lieutenant." Rachel, affecting English accent, shook head. "Just couldn't stay away from you guys."

"Good luck finding something to hold her on." Hardcastle to Art, grimly. "If you do, go ahead and put it on me. I could use a few days suspension break." He strode off…

"I think I miss him most of all…" Rachel sneered.

"I think I'd enjoy bangin' you off a wall…" Angie noted grimly. "Even if you're not Manning…And judging by that lousy accent, Art's right."

"Well, suppose we settle this…" Art reached for his phone. "I think Sarah would love to hook up with you again…Maybe Helena too."

"Who's…?" Angie eagerly…More so as she caught Rachel's blanching…

Helena?

"Look…It's just a misunderstanding…The little brat went and startled me. " Rachel, desperately.

"Assault on a minor, if Mom presses…" Art eyed her. "Possible intent to kidnap…"

"Art…" She tried a Beth accent, innocent wide-eyed stare…

"I wonder, Ms. Duncan…If I pretended to buy your 'Sarah' routine…And charged you with impersonating Beth Childs…"

"That sounds like a good idea, Art." Angie grinned.

Ummn…Rachel blinked.

And right now, no doubt Marion and Topside would be happy to see me facing a long prison term as Sarah Manning or someone impersonating both Sarah and Beth…

"Something tells me…Say a little bird, with cell phone…That no high-powered team of legal eagles would come by to rescue you this time, 'Sarah'." Art, coldly. "Sounds like Dyad's gone and cut you loose."

"Fine. Just trying to avoid a little unwanted publicity. I am Rachel Duncan, head of the Dyad Group…Sarah's my rather disreputable sister…I was drinking a bit too much tonight and made a fool of myself and I panicked, for my job's sake. You can understand, surely. I didn't mean any harm to the girl. Just let me plead guilty and pay the fine or whatever…" Rachel sighed.

"See how easy things get when you tell the truth. Well, Ms. Duncan…On the one hand, you're in luck. The mother just wanted me to speak to you sternly…She's not pressing charges, lucky for you. On the other hand, though, I'm afraid I will be holding you to see Sarah Manning as there are some additional questions…Pertaining to some very serious charges…"

"Sarah's guilty of personating one of your own officers…You can't trust her word over mine…!" Rachel fumed.

"Different matter…Our call…And yeah, we can…" Art noted, quietly.

"You know…Much as I would like to nail Manning…I'm starting to prefer the idea of putting you behind bars, Rach…" Angie smiled.

"Art? A visitor…" an officer came to the desk.

"Time for a family reunion…" Art smiled at the frowning Rachel.

"Say what happened to your suit?" Angie eyed the ruined front.

….

"Sarah has no intention of coming anywhere near you." Alison, seated, in as Rachel mentally noted, what passes in Suberia as a "dressy suit", the lumpen one seated beside her. "But I can confirm that this is not Sarah…It's our utterly vile and inhuman sister, Rachel Duncan."

"Nice to meet you, too, Alison." Rachel glared.

"Do you expect me to be polite to the woman who kidnapped my niece and threatened my poor dear sister?" Alison eyed her. "Who, God knows, had hideous plans for me and my family…By the way, what happened to your eye?"

"Was that for a costume party?" Donnie asked.

Good God…Rachel sighed.

I'd could almost wish Helena had come…


	2. Chapter 2

"Orphans Beloved: "Fade to Dark…"

Summary: Like my Immortal Beloved bits in my Buffyverse stories, these are fragments and short bits, some longer…Just to fiddle with ideas, possibly forming longer tales later.

Rachel forms an unholy alliance with Bonnie Johansen and the Dark Side of the Clone Club.

Disclaimer: No copywrite infringement intended…

(Note-I'll see how this one goes, may pull it into a full tale)

Part II…

Given as yet she was unsure of any of her credit card or bank accounts being untouched by Daniel's little maneuverings, Rachel had graciously accepted the offer of a ride home by an admittedly curious to understand her Alison and Donnie…

"Fine, lets go then…" she insisted, rising…

"Just a moment…" Art, coolly. "I want you to know that the only reason I don't charge you with the crimes Alison mentioned…"

Angie perking eagerly…

"…Is for Sarah 'sand Kira's protection."

"Kira? The niece?" Angie, hopeful for more info crumbs…

"Fine. Mutually assured destruction pact, I get that, officer. Now may my dear sister and her…" Rachel eyeing Donnie with disdain… "…Pet…Take me home."

"It's fine…" Donnie waved down Alison's wrath… "We need a chance to talk with her…"

Oh?…Still a modicum of proper respect for the Duncan among the fear-crazed bourgeois, eh? Good, good. I may be able to use that.

"A moment." Alison, to Art, who waved a gracious hand. She leading Donnie off to an empty conference room.

Rachel eyeing after them…Hmmn…

"I suppose the bovines need to chew their cud for a bit before taking any action…" she noted to Art who eyed her coolly.

"I really don't think the garage is an option…" Donnie's worried voice from the ajar door. The said door suddenly closed an instant later.

Good God, are they thinking I'd stay with them? Rachel blinked. In their garage?…Like some ridiculous 70s sitcom character?

Hmmn…Garage…Angie thought. Vic did say they were up to something in that garage of theirs.

The door opened…Donnie, fairly welcoming beam to Rachel…Ally following him, a bit grim…

"Ok, then…Why don't we be off? I'm sure we all want to get home, it's late and we'll want to get home after we drop sis off."

'Sis'? Rachel grimaced with disdain…Eyeing Donnie but a bit unnerved by Alison's quick, hotly angry stare.

Lady, I know exactly what you're thinking…

"Yes. We were supposed to be Christmas shopping with our kids now." Alison noted, stern look at Rachel.

"So sorry…" mock apologetic look… "Pity Sarah was afraid to face me."

"Afraid she might kill you, you mean…" Alison frowned. "Come. We have things to discuss and I want to get home to my children."

"They're no more 'your' children than mine…" Rachel, a bit nettled.

"DON'T!" Ally snapped, finger raised. "Don't ever even mention my children. Because if I ever…"

Ally…Police…All around…Donnie hissed.

"Just come along." Alison glared. "Unless you prefer to spend the night in a holding cell. On our charge that your goons attempted to kidnap me a short time ago."

Why am I suddenly nervous? Rachel frowned inwardly. Something about these two…

Please…The bovine bourgeois? Afraid of misfolding their laundered towels, no doubt a set monogrammed with A & D and a heart round the letters? With an arrow…Oh…

Uh…I mean…How utterly bourgeois…

"Kidnapping? Threatening? Art?" Angie to Art…Who waved her off…

"Hearsay, Ange…Far as you know and I will admit to. For now…" he said calmly, watching Rachel somewhat reluctantly follow Donnie, who politely opened the station door for her, Ally making up the rear, brief glance back to Art.

Ally…Nothing stupid…His look saying…

…..

"Ah, the Cadillac of minivans." Leer as she climbed in at Alison's insistent, stabbing point of finger… "So how are my dear niece and her mother, since she tried to kill me?" Rachel asked, pleasant tone, as the Hendrixs' bourgemobile moved out from the station parking lot onto the main street, Donnie driving while keeping a somewhat nervous occasional eye on Alison…Rachel in back…

"Glad to be free of you and your fiends…" Ally, calmly. "I don't know how you live with yourself…Poor Dr. Duncan loved you so…"

"You said not to mention your children. Don't bring up my father." Rachel, coldly.

"As for my actions…I regret none. I did what was necessary."

"Then you'll understand if we do likewise, I'm sure." Alison, equal coldness.

"I hardly think harming me…If that's your intention…Would be wise or necessary."

"Girls…" Donnie tried. "Maybe we should try talking about other things for a bit…?"

"Does he do that all the time?" Rachel looked at him. "Aldous said he was the ultimate pacifier for you but…"

"Please…Keep on pressing my "defend my loved ones" button…" Alison smiled back to her. "You'll see where Helena gets her murderous impulses from…"

"Just praising his skills as a monitor, sister…You know, Hendrix, Dyad will be wanting you to check in soon and resume your duties."

"I quit. I think I made that clear to…You guys." Donnie, grimly.

"No one quits this study, Hendrix. I'd advise you to contact them first…Don't make them come to you."

"Things will be different under Dr. Cormier. At least until Dyad is investigated and closed down…" Ally, calmly.

"I hardly think so, dear." Rachel shook head, smiling. "Dyad has far too many powerful connections for your little band to bring us down."

"Hardly 'us' now, Rachel. We know they've kicked you out." Alison noted, turning to eye her fully. "You're alone now…You have no one."

Rachel staring back…

You…

"I understand you lost your boyfriend." Donnie spoke up. "I know he was a very bad guy but I'll say I'm sorry for your loss…And of Dr. Leekie…I guess he was all the father you really knew, huh? Since he took you away from Dr. Duncan when you were so young."

"I asked we not discuss…" Rachel began. A tear running…

"Just wanted to express condolences. Not sorry really that either one of them is gone but I guess it must hurt. And for what it's worth, Dr. Leekie did seem to care about all of you." Donnie, eyeing Rachel briefly in the rear view mirror.

"Why did you do this, Rachel?" Alison sighed, twisting back again to look at her. "You had an agreement with Sarah, even some chance to study Kira's samples…We were all ready to cooperate…Up to a point." She shook her head. "What could have done this to you? Sarah said you seemed like such a loving child…Sorry."

"You are a fool, Mrs. Hendrix." Rachel, coldly. "The world is a hard and difficult place and anyone who wants real authority, power, and the means to protect oneself and those they care about…" she paused. Looking out…

"Why are we going this way? It's not the way to my apartment…"

"You were saying…?" Donnie, calmly. Direct look via mirror.

"We beg to differ on the issue of who's a fool here." Alison, quietly.


	3. Chapter 3

"Orphans Beloved: "Fade to Dark…"

Summary: Like my Immortal Beloved bits in my Buffyverse stories, these are fragments and short bits, some longer…Just to fiddle with ideas, possibly forming longer tales later.

Rachel forms an unholy alliance with Bonnie Johansen and the Dark Side of the Clone Club.

Disclaimer: No copywrite infringement intended…

(Note-I'll see how this one goes, may pull it into a full tale)

Part III…

"I ask again…Where the devil are you taking me?" Rachel, struggling to keep down a rising sense of dread.

"Think of this as a learning experience…Your chance to know what it is to be black-bagged and kidnapped, in a figurative sense, only…" Alison noted.

"Let me out…So help me I will have you both charged, your brats taken away…" Rachel fumbled with the door.

"Child-proofed years ago…" Ally shook her head. "I'd've thought that would be in our files or at least, obvious…And Rachel, I won't warn you again about speaking of my children in any way."

"Donald…Donnie…" Rachel, cleverly sounding an Ally note in her voice… "You don't want to hurt me…You're a nice man…And I look like your wife."

"Mr. Hendrix for now, please…Debatable, given how you've tormented my wife and her sweet sisters…It's because I am a good, I hope, man…That you look like Ally only makes what you've done worse." He replied, calmly.

"I'm the one who's suffered here…" Rachel began.

"Only what you richly deserved." Ally, coldly.

"If you harm me, you'll pay…"

"Mr. Hendrix…Thanks for depositing me at the Toronto airport to take the first flight to New York." Ally, in perfect imitation of Rachel.

"No problem, Miss Duncan." He nodded.

"See…" Ally beamed at the stunned Rachel… "Easy as pie…Courtesy Clone Club membership. Say, honey?…You know a weekend in NYC might be a fun break. You could drive down and meet me somewhere."

"You'd never get away with it…" Rachel, anxiously.

"But, except for our good and conscientious friend, Arthur Bell, who'd only be so out of duty, who'd care?" Alison eyed her calmly.

"My foster guardian…Aldous…He's alive…I spared him. He'll never let you get away with harming me, he loves me." Rachel desperately.

"I gotta admit, it was the one redeeming thing about Leekie…That he did care about you girls…" Donnie nodded. "But I doubt he'll be coming back to help you, Rach."

"Nonsense." Rachel, coldly but unable to keep the fear down. "You're just hoping to frighten me. Well, you should know I do not frighten easily. If you want to survive this, you'd do well to…"

"From where we sit, we'd do well to get rid of you." Ally, equally cold, without the trace of fear. "You've tormented us all for no reason, Rachel, except some twisted desire for power and some bitterness about being the one they kept."

"What? Don't be a fool…" Rachel began. "I'm the only one who's seen clearly…"

"You can't bear it that we have lives and you don't…Even Helena had some degree of freedom while you've just a slave to the ones who created us." Ally, shrugging. "Well, we could have helped you, we tried to. We'll just have to settle for saving Helena."

"Helena? That maniac…You're fools to think…"

"She suffered far worse than you but she never quite lost her heart…Rachel, I could weep for you but you're too dangerous to my children and my sweet husband. I know and I believe you've become enough of a monster that you would kill them to hurt me…And that leaves me with no options."

"Us." Donnie, firmly.

"You see. Whatever I am…" Ally had turned to stare fixedly at Rachel. "…Whether I am human or not, according to some definitions, I am loved. And you aren't…You could have been, you held it in your hands. But you threw it away for nothing but money and power and bitterness. I won't throw what I have away and neither will the others. You've left us with no options, Rachel." Cold stare.

"Please…Please don't hurt me." Rachel, pleading now… "I'm finished at Dyad…I can't hurt you or the others. Just drop me somewhere and let me run. None of you died at my hands…Please…For my father's sake, your creator…" she eyed Ally who stared at her.

"Poor Dr. Duncan…I do think he meant well, at the end." Ally sighed. "And you should know I only mentioned him because you did first."

"Yes, sister…He was a good man…He wouldn't want you to hurt me…"

"We're not the ones you'll have to answer to, Rachel." Donnie, grimly now.

"Indeed." Ally, coldly.

"Say, look, a Clown Burger…Anyone else starved?" Donnie suggested.

"Donnie…You promised to keep away from fast food. And I've been putting a little on, with all the drinking." Ally, sternly. "There's an F2O, we can get a salad… Rachel? You want anything?"

….

Nearly six hours later…

A groggy Rachel awakening after a fitful sleep in the minivan…In what to her single, depth-deprived eye, was apparently a very dark room…Perhaps a large closet or cellar…Or…

Garage? She blinked…Remembering Donnie's words at the station…

"Hello?!...Alison?!...Donnie?!..." she called. Feeling…

Hmmn…Bound to this chair…Both arms and legs…

"Not amusing, people…" she tried a defiant air. "Don't think because the wheel has dropped me down a bit today, that I won't rise again…"

"It's because we're afraid of that that you're here, Rachel…" a voice in the dark…Light snapping on…

"Cosima?..." Rachel whispered. "Please…Don't let the others harm me. I was only doing my job…"

"Hardly…" Cosima frowned, adjusting her nasal tubing… "You destroyed poor Kira's bone marrow and you were going to mutilate Sarah…What the hell is wrong with you, Rachel?"

"Sarah took away my father…He died because of her…" Rachel, furiously…

"You made him kill himself to prevent any more experiments on people…God, Rachel…" Cosima shook her head. "We were cooperating…You could have studied Kira, to some extent, with Sarah's willing consent. Ethan could have been your father again, he wanted to be more than anything..."

"Sarah mutilated me…" Rachel glared. "Look at this…My eye…"

"Actually…That was me…" Cosima shrugged. "And I did it to protect Sarah…You forced us to defend ourselves. And now…" she eyed her…

"As you say, the wheel may turn again…And we're tired of having you hounding us, simply because you're a miserable, frustrated bitch." Calm tone. "I could put up with you, but Ally and Sarah have kids…Our brothers Donnie and Fee can't have you messing up their lives…Helena needs peace and a chance to recover from all that abuse…And now Sarah and Kira have a chance to reunite with Kira's father…No. You're just too much for us to have to deal with right now, Rachel."

"You bitches have taken everything from me! Take my life, too, now! Go ahead! But someone will answer for it. Questions will be asked! I won't be…Forgotten…" she looked at Cosima's sad face, trembling… "Please…Please, don't…I'm all alone…Even Aldous is gone. Please, sister…Please!"

"Hello seestra…" a voice…Another light snapped on.

"He…Helena…" Rachel blinked.

"Happy Holidays, problem sestra." Helena eyed her from her chair, cocked head, wan smile.

…

"So…" Rachel, fighting for calm as the silence after Helena's last words deepened and stretched. "…where's the scank? Is she afraid to face me?"

"She's afraid she will kills you…" Helena, quietly. "So we are meeting with you."

"You'll make her a killer again, Cosima?" Rachel tried. "Is that how you're better than me?"

"We don't have to put with you, Rachel." Cosima sighed from her seat. "We didn't ask for you to interfere in our lives. You chose to…Any consequences are your own fault. I'm sorry…We're all sorry you were Dyad's victim but you know enough to know we aren't the cause of your problems. We didn't make you suffer…"

"Didn't you?" Bitter tone. "You and your petty little lives, free like cows to graze while I…"

"Poor little rich Rachel…Rachel the poor little rich girl. Baaah…" Helena, quietly mocking. "We feels your pain, sestra."

"You kill me and there will be consequences…For all of you!" Rachel insisted.

"Dyad doesn't care…They cast you out, sestra. They will call it a favor if we make you disappear." Helena noted calmly. Rising…

"Don't…Please…Cosima?!" Rachel cried. "Oh, God, don't!" she twisted in her chair as Helena approached.

Pausing…

Sarah pulling wig…

"Just wanted you to know what you will face…IF you ever…Ever…Mess with us again."

Rachel staring, wrath on her face…

"They left it to me…I decided it wasn't worth burdenin' the others with this…With the guilt… So get the shite out of here and out of our lives. Cause if you ever bother any of us…Including the ones we haven't met yet. It won't be Helena I'll send after you." Sarah turned and went out. Ally rising from a chair behind Cosima with Donnie to help her out.

"What? You just leave me here?!" Rachel cried.

"You're a capable girl you'll figure it out…" Cosima paused, not looking back, Ally supporting her, Donnie pushing tank on wheel cart. "There's a bus ticket to Boston on the table in the back, if you feel it's safe to go home and get your things. Good bye, Rachel. I really hope never to see you again, for your sake." She walked on, Ally and Donnie following.

Rachel glaring after them…

Oh, you will see me again, sisters…Yes, you will…

One by one, you all will…

"This was a mistake." Donnie sighed as he closed the door to the warehouse where they'd met with Rachel…She silent within.

"I know…But we couldn't let Sarah do it. Or Helena…If we ever see her again." Cosima shrugged. "And we're good people…We have to be that, for ourselves, not her. So we gave her one last chance."

"Not that good. I will do it…If she comes back." Ally noted quietly.

"We will." Donnie, firmly. Ally touching his arm, shaking head.

"We will." Cosima, eyeing them both. "Cause Sarah and Helena have been through enough…"

…


	4. Chapter 4

"Orphans Beloved: "Fade to Dark…"

Summary: Like my Immortal Beloved bits in my Buffyverse stories, these are fragments and short bits, some longer…Just to fiddle with ideas, possibly forming longer tales later.

Rachel forms an unholy alliance with Bonnie Johansen and the Dark Side of the Clone Club.

Disclaimer: No copywrite infringement intended…

(Note-I'll see how this one goes, may pull it into a full tale)

Part IV…

"What do you mean, you can't give me cash for this?" Rachel fumed at the ticket counter clerk. "I've changed my mind. I don't wish to go to Boston. Now refund me, you petty nothing of a rubber stamper."

"Lady." The sour frowning middle-aged woman eyed. "It's not company policy to refund this kind of special deal. If you or whoever bought it didn't read the policy, that's not our problem."

"You mean to say my sisters got me the bargain rate?" Rachel glared.

"Bargain, no refund, no exchanges."

Grrrr…She turned and stalked to the bus terminal door, opening and slamming…

Cheap bastards of sisters…

Of course I should still have something in the accounts but if I use an ATM here in Toronto, they'll know I'm here. No doubt Cosima's monitoring my every transaction on the Internet. The whole flock of them with only one thing on their minds…What is Rachel up to and when will she strike again?

(Cut to Fee's loft. He turning and rising from his latest painting…The Clone Party dance…."Spirit Sisters" by title. "So you're monitoring Rachel on the net once a day in case she didn't go back to Boston from where you left her as agreed?" "Sure…Yeah…" Sarah noted, eyeing the screen. "Just hafta figure out how to get onto the sites and how you track accounts?" "Give here…" Fee sighed. "I knew we should've let Cos or Cal do it." "She needs her rest…And I don't need Cal for everything, I can figure this out, with a few pointers." "Give…Here…" he insisted, grabbing at the laptop…She pulling back… "Hey!" The laptop flying…To hit the wall.)

But what striking can one do without hard cash or other means of reward…Or at least an army of thugs or a Daniel to inflict suffering? And said thugs…There being only one Daniel…Sad sigh as she headed out the bus terminal doors, pausing to give the clerk…

Damn never have had cause to give the finger…Which…Oh, she eyed the clerk through the window of the station giving her the finger. That one.

"Tryin' to unload a ticket?" a voice near her. She whirled…

"Oh…It's you. I told you to meet me here at eleven. It's twelve." She frowned.

"I had my own stuff…And should I be so anxious to resume a relationship with you people?"

"We 'people' made you rather comfortable and kept you out of prison on several occasions."

"And never tole me anything…" sigh. "Ruined all hope for a relationship I cherished." Frown.

"Oh…Victor…Admit it." Rachel eyed Vic as he stood in hoodie eyeing her. "You're just annoyed Sarah never guessed you were her monitor."

"Is that what you guys call it?" Vic shook his head. "You might've told me I had a title."

"Hardly a title…Equivalent of dishwasher, sweeper, ticket collector…" she sneered.

"More than Rachel Duncan's got now." Calm stare back.

…

"This has to be the most disgusting vehicle I've ever ridden in…" Rachel wrinkled her nose as she climbed in.

"I can let you stay right here." Vic eyed her briefly.

"Just get going…"

"I don't have to do a thing you say, lady. You are out at Dyad…" he began.

"Nonsense…What, did Sarah tell you that?" narrow look. "I'm the Chief Executive Officer…"

"Here? Talkin' to me?"

"I'm undercover…" she asserted.

"You're also in the news." He handed her a copy of the Wall Street Journal. "Though you only made page three."

"Page three?!"

"So you retired from your CEO thing to pursue the finer things in life. That's good. The path of the Buddha is to simplify…"

"Shut up!" she fumed, tossing the paper back at him.

"So it's not voluntary. That's a shame. You'd be much happier to embrace your karma and let the Buddha…" he ducked her swipe. "Lady. You try to hit me again and I will leave you right here in this bus station parking lot, alone."

"You little…" she raged, swinging again. He, catching her hand in his.

"Gotta be careful without that depth perception…" he noted as she struggled. "Are you gonna make a scene? Do you want us both in jail?"

Arrghh…She suddenly collapsed, calming. "No."

"All right then." He let go and she swung again, he just barely dodging. Grinning at her a bit now...

"Damn you!" she fumed. But calmed as people passed close by the parked car, going in.

"Why didn't you want to head back to Boston, to Dyad Central, unless you were out?" He noted calmly.

"I'm…Not…Out!" she raged.

Better watch it, lady…His look stern. She again calming quickly as more travelers passed.

"Yeah, I see your limo parked right over there…" he jerked a thumb. "Now, you want my help or no?"

"No!...Uh…" she paused. "Yes." Sheepish tone. "But you work for me." She insisted.

"Leading us to the key question…" Vic eyed her. "Why should I?"

"I will…" she began, enraged again…

"Better come up with something good…" he suggested. "It's not the sort of night you wanna spend outside in the park or in the women's shelter."

"I don't need…" fuming.

"Then, may the Buddha guide you, Ms. Duncan." he pointed out the passenger side door. "Hit the pavement, sister." Unlocking.

"Wait! Victor!" she cried. "Please…" pleading tone.

"Careful…" he turned back, finger to lips in Shhhh gesture.

"People will think we're in love." he grinned, then sighed eyeing her anxious face.

Of all the bus stations in all the cities in all the world, a clone with Sarah Manning's face has to walk into this one…

And have my number…

"Come on…" he shrugged, relocking and starting the car. "You can give me the song-and-dance while we go find some place to eat. You girls are great at that."

We are, aren't we?…She eyed him, slight grin out of the corners of her eyes.

Such is karma…He thought, glancing briefly at her face.

"I do have to be careful about using my credit and ATM. The others are probably tracking me." she noted.

"Now that is the world upside-down for you, I'd bet. Them on your trail." He smiled at the road.

"Well, you'll need to hock that watch if you can't use your account. It's the weekend and even I can't try to hit your accounts till Monday."

Hock?

"Sweetie, you want to hire me, you gotta pay me…I'm not an eccentric billionaire who hung with Sarah Manning for fun. I live in subsidized housing and I got twenty bucks and some food stamps on me now." He eyed her briefly as she fumed.

"Still a place open down the street here…I could get a hundred for it and another for that necklace if it's real."

"Of course it's real…" she frowned, then looked a bit… "Only two hundred…Canadian?"

"They're not runnin' charity homes, Rach."

"Ms. Duncan." Coolly.

"Whatever, Boss… If you make over one hundred to me."

"What about your…Dealings? And the money Dyad's paid you over the last few years?"

"Outta the business…And no intention of getting back in, the Buddha be praised…And Sarah was high-maintenance, enjoyed cleanin' me out."

"So…" appraising stare as they drove. "For all this 'Buddha business' you wouldn't mind a little revenge on Manning and co?"

"The Buddha says vengeance is the path to the dark side…"

"I thought that was Yoda." Rachel sneered. He high-mindedly ignoring the remark.

"I don't deny there are still…Negative feelings…In that department. But let me ask…" hard stare. "Why me? 'Vic the Dick' as Sarah and her bro love to say. Why not somebody from Dyad? Or whatever Thugs Are Us you guys use?"

She was silent…

"That bad, huh? Must hurt to have to fish round the bargains bucket… Well. You're lucky I'm pretty desperate myself. Only listen, lady…" he eyed her briefly. "Whatever I want from Sarah, this is strictly business and strictly above board. I'm like your executive assistant/cab driver. I don't do the dirty work…Get me?"

"I wouldn't dream of it…Victor."

"All right, then. One hundred dollars pays my salary till Monday. Driving, information…Shopping if you need the ladies' things and don't like the neighborhood…If you need a (not-so fancy) bed…And my companionship at dinner. On Monday, you still need my services, I hit the bank for you and see what magic I can work."

"You?" she eyed him…

"I have friends…" he shrugged.

"Fine…" she nodded. "That is a single bed, right?"

"We can work it out…" nod. "And here we are…" he pulled up against the curb outside a pawn shop. Waiting expectantly.

"Try and do better than two hundred." She sighed, handing over the watch and then the necklace. "Oh and here, see what you can get for these…" she pulled off her earrings. "And yes, those are real pearls."

"Nice…" he nodded. "You sure you don't wanna try Ebay?"

"Only if you can sell them and get the cash before dinner…And assuming there are people there stupid enough to pay good money for pearl earrings without confirmation."

"You might be surprised…" he grinned… "But if you want it that quick, I think we'd better do it here."

"I wouldn't be surprised…And I do want it that quick…I've no interest in dining at McDonalds', thanks."

"Now there you part company from Manning. She liked her burgers." Vic, wan smile. Sighing as he got out of the car…Rachel offering him a smile as he looked at her.

God, this is gonna be a boulder in my stream, he shook his head.


	5. Chapter 5

"Orphans Beloved: "Fade to Dark…"

Summary: Like my Immortal Beloved bits in my Buffyverse stories, these are fragments and short bits, some longer…Just to fiddle with ideas, possibly forming longer tales later.

Rachel forms an unholy alliance with Bonnie Johansen and the Dark Side of the Clone Club.

Disclaimer: No copywrite infringement intended…

(Note-I'll see how this one goes, may pull it into a full tale)

Part V…

"Any luck…?" Vic quietly regarding Rachel as he paused in eating, she on cell…A very special cell.

Hey, the rejects have their little cellular network…Aldous and I…She thought, hesitated as the phone continued to buzz at the other end.

No message or recording for security's sake…No point in setting up a secure secret line if some idiot can misdial it and go and call one of us sometime at a Topside conference.

"No." she sat silent.

"Maybe I should try…" he hesitantly suggested.

"What? Why?" she stared.

"Well, it's just…"

"I can see well enough to speed-dial…And to wreak havoc on that cheap imitation of me…Those cheap imitations of me, all of them!"

I can…She told herself, eyeing him. "I can." She repeated aloud.

"Sure…Sure…Well, if he gets your message…"

"It's not set up for messages…But he should get notified someone called. And he'd call at this hour, it's what we agreed for emergencies." She gave Vic a cool stare…And suddenly burst into tears…

Whoa…Was not expectin' that…He blinked.

"They've killed him…Ooooh…Oh, I tried to save him…" she sobbed as he nervously rose from his seat and went to her. "Even though he killed my mother, I tried to save him…Oh, Aldous…"

Uh…He stood by…

Not really sure…Sarah only was like this once after calling Kira and she belted me for tryin' to hug her.

"Uh, Rachel…" he began…As she calmed a bit, tears running…

"There's no one now…I have no one…" she looked up at him. "That bitch has taken everything…" Dark look…

"I wish she loved you…" she glared at him. He sighing…

Right…Sarah…

And of course someone else wants to put pain on me over her…

But…

"Sarah killed your friend?" he stared. "I thought you said…"

"Dyad killed him…But Sarah might just as well…" fury on her face. "The only family I ever had…She's taken…"

"Ma'am…" the waitress had approached, with a bottle of wine…

"Your Aramaic '08…Is anything wrong?"

"Just your limited excuse for a wine list making me weep." Rachel, coldly. "Pour, leave."

"Thanks…" Vic smiled to the young woman as she hurriedly poured and left.

She doesn't love him…Aldous always told me she never did. Rachel regarded Vic coolly. Still, they were close for years, though more proximity than the affection he claimed in his reports.

It might cause her momentary guilt to know she was responsible for his horrible death…Torture and death, pardon me.

"You wanna take it out on me…Fine…" he sighed at her, resuming his seat and taking a pull at the glass.

"Whoa, that's something…" he nodded at the glass. "Ok if I finish my last supper? Looks like it's a pretty nice one."

Perceptive…She eyed him. I wouldn't have thought that much brainpower in there.

Of course I do need him for now…I can always have him flayed and the body dumped in front of Sarah's house later.

Then too, he must want revenge, whatever garbage he peddles about the Buddha and forgiveness.

And he does have nice eyes…

Hmmn…Speaking of…Eyes…

Well, not much hope there unless I suddenly win a major lottery or…

Hmmn…She eyed Vic.

They do say this "drug dealing" thing can be quite profitable even if he and Sarah always made a hash of the business.

Maybe he just needed to meet the right sister, with a razor-sharp mind capable of focusing on something other than the next booty call and diaper change.

"I'm not planning to kill you, Victor…" she sighed.

"Yet…" he raised a bandaged hand, then lifted his glass… "To not killing me just yet 'cause Vic is still kinda useful." Wry smile. "Maybe you'll just try a little torture…I still got nine fingers."

She eyed him.

God…She really did a number on him, poor guy. For Heaven's sake, Victor…Don't take this lying down, much as I am rather impressed by your clarity regarding your eventual fate. Follow the Golden Rule…Of the 0.01%...Do it to others before they can even think of doing it to…

Hmmn…Others…

Others…With grudges…She tapped her wine glass absently, pondering a moment, then sipped, pausing to sniff…

"Auuh…" grimace, setting of glass firmly down. "Waitress! What is this swill?" she called. "Victor, put it down, it's awful."

Hmmn…He set the glass down as Rachel called again for waitress and manager and "whoever owns this sinkhole you call a restaurant".

Kinda thought she might finish me off at dinner…Or at least pull a spiked coffee and run, now she's got a little cash.

Poor kid must really be hard up…And that eye…Hurts me in the soul to see it. Oh, Sarah, can we all just get along?

Well, the Buddha has his ways…At least if she or Sarah kills me tomorrow I'll have had a hell of a fine dinner.

…..

"You think we were wrong to let her go…?" Cosima eyed Art as he stood in Fee's loft's living room.

"Officially…I should be investigating you all right now regards the possible disappearance of Rachel Duncan." He sighed. "Unofficially…Toughest of calls…Frankly I could wish she'd've had an 'accident' on her way home but…" wry smile. "You did right. It wouldn't really have solved anything. She might even be useful to keep tabs on Dyad."

"They kicked her out." Cosima noted.

"But they'll be watching her…Monitoring still continues no matter what, right?" he noted.

"Don't tell Ally that…She and Donnie will either head for the hills of Antarctica or start shooting anyone crossing their lawn."

"They will try to restart Ally's monitoring…And I assume Delphine's monitoring you." he eyed her.

"Yeah…But with an eye to helping me…" Cosima pointed out… "And keeping us informed."

"I'd like to believe that…I'm sure you want to a lot more…But…" stern look.

"…It's about more than me and my love life." She concluded, sheepish smile. "I know. And I will be careful. Art?" she regarded him carefully. "We all can't thank you enough…What you've done for us…I know if Beth can know…"

He put up a hand. "She was my partner. And as Bogie says… 'When a man's partner is murdered, he's supposed to do something about it.' And Beth was murdered, sure as if she'd been pushed in front of that train." Quiet stare.

"I wish to God she'd had the sense to dump Paul and love you. I wish that with all my heart." Cosima sighed, tearing.

"Please…" he put up hands…

"Sorry…" she went to him and hugged him fiercely. "For what it's worth…We will always love you, in Beth's place…All of us." She pulled back slightly.

"Thanks…"

Wry smile…

"And speakin' of all of you…Anything yet?"

"No. Not a clue, no word, nothing…" Cosima shook head. "It's like she vanished again, right off the face of the Earth. Sarah's getting a little frantic." She quickly added, gulping a bit. "Not that she thinks Helena's up to her old stuff again, but even Cal can't get a line on her."

"I'll get back and see what's come across the desks…Sooner or later, something's gotta give. And speaking of that, you should be sitting down…" he eyed her, still in his embrace, meant as a support as he nervously noted her weak condition.

"I mean what if Delphine catches us like this?"

"Good…Keeps em on their toes. And I'd be lucky." She beamed, letting him lead her back to her seat on the sofa.

"I doubt it…My French is just awful." he shook head.

…..


	6. Chapter 6

"Orphans Beloved: "Fade to Dark…"

Summary: Like my Immortal Beloved bits in my Buffyverse stories, these are fragments and short bits, some longer…Just to fiddle with ideas, possibly forming longer tales later.

Rachel forms an unholy alliance with Bonnie Johansen and the Dark Side of the Clone Club.

Disclaimer: No copywrite infringement intended…

(Note-I'll see how this one goes, may pull it into a full tale)

Part VI…

Hendrix living room, next day…

"All right, team…" Alison eyed Oz, Gemma, Donnie.

"Lets have a go/no go for tomorrow's launch…? Visual surveillance?"

"Go. Nobody out there." Oscar, firmly.

"Audio?" she eyed Gemma, who sported ear bud and shook her head.

"Go. No one's talking near the house."

"Transport?" she eyed Donnie.

"The vehicle is fully fueled and inspected for all surveillance devices, extra passengers, and bo…Other items." He hastily corrected at her grim, sharp stare…Donnie!

"No bombs. I helped Dad look." Oscar, proudly.

Dooonnniiee…Tight hiss.

"Sweetheart, we gotta check and I gotta have more than one pair of eyes to do it. And you're too busy and when you're not…" he sighed.

"What?"

"You refuse to wear your glasses. Ally, you know you need them, especially in the dark…I worry."

"Fine…I…Will…Wear…The…Freakin' glasses…" she gasped out. "Just no more Oz looking for you know what."

"That'll come soon enough…" Donnie, grinning.

"Hey! No laughing matter on either count!" she fumed. Tears coming…

Uh-oh…Donnie sighed, eyeing Oscar and Gemma in turn…You know this drill, guys.

"We're good for school tomorrow, right? Can we go watch TV, upstairs?" Oz asked.

"Absolutely…" Donnie nodded. "We'll be going up in a minute."

"Yes…" Ally, wiping tears… "Fine…But not too…Late…My …Sweet…Uh…Go, ok…I'll be up later." Dabbing fiercely as they hurried upstairs.

"You've got them well trained, Hendrix." She eyed Donnie.

"I learned from the Mistress…" he grinned. She, wan smile…

"Well, you know the one I mean…" hebegan, she putting up hand.

"If only a little more of that one's evil…" sigh.

"No…" he shook his head. "Never that. We'll manage without that just fine."

"Donnie…She'll be back…She'll never, never stop…She'll hurt you…She'll hurt the kids. All my fault…" she sobbed as he took her in his arms.

"Whatever happens…It is not your fault. And not you I'll ever blame." He hugged her. "And we let her go, not you…And I believe, whatever the outcome, we did the only thing we could. Because we aren't Dyad…And you are not Rachel. And in the end, that's what matters."

"Yes, yeah…" she wiped eyes again. "You're right, Hendrix…Love of my life…And here I am worrying about Rachel when we still don't even know if Marion Bowles can be trusted…Or her friends at Topside…And God knows whoever else wants whatever it is that we represent to them."

"Ally, Ally…My sweet beloved…" Donnie, embracing her. "God, I wish I could tell you I can keep you and the kids safe." he sighed, shrugging… "But the fact is, even if Dyad and Topside and Rachel didn't exist…I can't. All I can do is love you…And try…Till I can't try no more." he relaxed but she held him more tightly.

"Don't let me go…Tell me…" she whispered. "Lie to me…Please…"

"It's all good, honey." He whispered back. "It's all good."

…

"So…" Rachel looked round the place…

Battered leather sofa, peeling…And with the faint odor of having been acquired under dubious circumstances…Bare wooden chairs, all the quality and craftsmanship Kmart loves to put into its furniture…A box with plexiglass top passing for a coffee table… "Don't tell me, you made that yourself." she eyed him…Paint a bit of a surprise, a rather tasteful green and gold…Kitchen table and chairs in what passed for a kitchen, all likewise masterworks of Kmart or some other –mart.

"…this is the Batcave. Lovely. Thanks for having me."

"Do all of you guys do this?" Vic asked. "I mean, is it instinctive? In your genes?"

"Oh, I think it's probably a trait all human beings share…An instinctive recoil from…" Rachel paused, eyeing Vic's calm face.

"Yeah, I get that. Especially from you guys." He said, quietly. "So, have a seat…Think of more entertaining things to say…You want a drink? I keep no alcohol around now but there's soda and water and lotus blossom tea."

"Tea…But Earl Grey, hot. Here…" she offered a five dollar bill. "Wait, here…Make it ten, I doubt you have cups or sugar or cream."

"Fine. Back in fifteen." He nodded, rising and heading for the door.

"Wait." She eyed him. "This certainly isn't about money…Unless you think…"

"I'm no stockbroker…I don't deal in futures." he shrugged. "And it is about money, I tole you. I needed that hundred."

"Enough to put up with this? With me? I doubt it…" she noted, quietly.

"I'm not going to hand you over, if that's what you think. Not to the sisters, not to Dyad, not to the cops, not to anyone. You're safe here."

" Why?" small voice, no sharp or condescending tone… "For Sarah?"

"For me…" he replied, calmly and went out, closing.

She staring after him…

…..


	7. Chapter 7

"Orphans Beloved: "Fade to Dark…"

Summary: Like my Immortal Beloved bits in my Buffyverse stories, these are fragments and short bits, some longer…Just to fiddle with ideas, possibly forming longer tales later.

Rachel forms an unholy alliance with Bonnie Johansen and the Dark Side of the Clone Club.

Disclaimer: No copywrite infringement intended…

(Note-I'll see how this one goes, may pull it into a full tale)

Part VII…

"Sorry it's not the place we stayed last night…" Vic began, having returned with the tea and busy now setting up cups and putting kettle on to boil. Rachel engaged on his rather battered computer.

She eyed him. "Last night's place was hardly the Ritz. This will do, at least till we've accessed my accounts Monday, perhaps it's best to stay here for now in any case. I'm not as soft with regards to lifestyle as you may…Jesus! Was that a cockroach?!"

"Afraid so…They don't bother me much…I don't like to put out poison, you know. It's against the Way…We should respect all…" he winced as she slammed her shoe sole down on the fleeing roach.

"You were saying?" arch look.

"Karma, Rach…Karma is a bitch who will bite back hard." He shook his head.

"Really." Dry tone. "I don't find…" she paused…Daniel's face, then Ethan's rising in her mind's eye.

The tea kettle whistling now.

"Look, would you just wipe this off and get me my tea?" she offered him the shoe.

He rolled eyes but took the shoe, trudging into the bathroom. "Are you still trying to reach that Leaky guy?" he called.

"Dr. Leakey, Aldous Leakey…" she returned. "And yes, but not just him physically, now."

He reemerged, bearing shoe. "Let this dry a bit, I'll get the tea. We got cookies, you like Pecan Sandies?"

"Fine." She frowned at the screen. If Dyad or Marion just haven't located this one yet…Ah…She beamed.

Dad…She touched the image of Aldous Leakey on screen.

"Hello, Rachel." The video image spoke. "If you're watching this, things have gone badly at Dyad and I assume either the police and federal authorities have shut us down and arrested me or Topside has decided to terminate the project and all who know anything of it. I'm glad that this means, for the moment, you've escaped whatever my fate was…"

"That's him?" Vic asked, setting tea cup down at her side, pulling chair. She paused the video instinctively.

She gave him a hard stare…Anyone invite you?

Still…No point in keeping it all from him…

Just a few key bits and the point at which I decide his usefulness to me has…

My, he does have nice eyes really. Like a soulful puppy…

"Yes. That's Aldous." She replied. Staring at the tea cup. "I believe you mentioned cookies?"

"Sure…"

"And lemon, I did ask you to get lemon, didn't I?"

"On the table, to your right…"

"Thanks."

Hmmn…Daniel would have added lemon before I even had to ask.

Well, one can make do with tools at hand…

"So what's your boss say?" Vic had taken a chair and pulled it close to her, eyeing the screen.

"He's not my…'Boss'…I outranked him in the corporation…Besides the real one, my step-father of sorts…Is probably…" she hesitated, trembling slightly… "…dead and…And…" she clutched her arms tightly, visibly trembling now.

"I'm sorry." He patted her shoulder, she furiously glaring at him.

"No one touches me!" she rose, suddenly. He pulling back rather calmly.

"That's too bad. I only wanted to make you feel better." He noted quietly. "But whatever you want…"

"Just don't touch me." she told him. "I imagine you've heard that from Manning often enough."

Sigh…"I'll make a deal with you. I won't try to make you feel better about your dead whatever again and you won't mention Sarah again. That way, you get to stay here and I get to keep that money. Deal?"

"So sorry to open an old wound…" she began, sneering… Recoiling as he grabbed her arm. "You?!"

"Do we have a deal?!" he hissed.

"Yes…Fine…Deal. Let go of me and do not touch…" her voice grim, paused as he released her and sat back down.

Aldous never mentioned he could be so…She blinked.

"Hardly the Buddha speaking there…" she noted, rubbing her arm.

"Sorry if I hurt you. I fall from the Path sometimes…After all…Vic the Dick." He gave her a slight grin.

Aldous never mentioned he could be this, either… She eyed his quiet stare.

"So, does 'Dad' have any more for you?" he indicated the screen.

"Yes, quite a bit…" she noted. "Assuming he didn't decide to delete everything after I started to outpace him with Topside."

"Outshining your stepdad…That's gotta be a source of tension."

"He was fine with it. He wanted me to…Why am I telling you this?" she frowned.

"You need someone to talk to and I'm all you got, after you burned all the bridges." he shrugged.

"Bridges? To the others, you mean?" she frowned. "You think I give a damn what those weak rejects think of me? They're nothing to me. Lab rats, test subjects…"

"You seem to hate em a lot for guys who are just lab rats to you. You know I took a course in community once…Biology…If you can believe it…"

"Not really…" she sniffed.

"Well, I did…And we had a guy who did experiments with rats who took some of us to see them. I kinda thought it'd be awful but he liked the little guys and took a lot of care with them."

"Like Aldous…He cared too much. It killed him." She looked at the frozen image of Aldous on screen, smiling at her with an arch smile.

"Point is it isn't the rats, it's the guy doing the experiment." Vic noted.

She blinked at him. "So I'm the monster, you mean."

"No…Not necessarily. But you are the subject…What you do to them is their experiment on you. Karma, girl…Think about it."

"Karma-sharma…I'm going to make them suffer, Victor. If you want to ride along with me, understand that. They will scream in agony before they surrender or die, each one of them." She grimly noted.

"Then you'll be alone…And special?"

She glared at him…

"If you're thinkin' of tellin' me to get out, it's my place." He noted calmly.

Damn it, Aldous never said he could be so…

"Look at what they did to me!" she pointed to her eye. "Look!"

"Why did they do that?" he asked.

"What?"

"Just askin'…"

"Are you laughing at me, you little insect?!" she fumed.

"I'm weepin' for you." he sighed. "I wish I could help you."

"I wish they'd killed me! Why didn't they kill me?!" she screamed at him.

"I guess cause they're good guys, more or less . And you're their sister."

Great, my conscience…About the sort I'd expect to be given…She frowned.

"I'm not their sister. I'm their owner, inherited from Aldous. And I will break them or kill them."

"So you keep sayin'."

"I'm not the only one…You want to see how I'll break them…Who will help me?" she eyed him furiously.

"Look…Look here…Aldous' secret files." She eagerly turned back to the computer.

Let me show you…Daniel. Shepaused…Stunned a bit.

"You ok?"

"Certainly…Just look…You think they were all there were?"

"I've no idea…" Vic shrugged.

"Aldous kept these out of the Dyad files after they started showing negative tendencies…He was afraid Topside would consider them too much of a liability." She waved a hand at the collection of folders on screen.

"He saved these ones? Looked out for them?" Vic eyed the screen.

"They owe their lives to him…Most of them." She nodded. "Not that they would give a damn about that or show him the slightest gratitude. God, they'd cheer his death, most of them. They resented whatever they learned of his monitoring. Lucky for him, most of them didn't know him or were in jail. That's Florence…Flora…" she tapped the screen at the image of a white-haired young woman with a brutal if beautiful face. "She started out as a prostitute and graduated to killing her johns. She's been in Canadian federal prison for two years…It being Canada and the only verdict the jury could agree on being voluntary manslaughter, she's up for parole soon."

"Nice."

"And this is Amy…Sweet Amy." She tapped the image of a smiling red-haired beauty.

"Sarah in red, wow."

"She'd take a shine to you, Victor." Smile. "She likes weak men…To lead them on, use them, marry them, and kill them. She's quite the Black Widow of our clan." Rachel chuckled. "Though she doesn't always marry them first. Do you know she's managed to avoid suspicion after killing four husbands and seven boyfriends? An amazing record. Last I checked she was doing quite well, living on her own after poisoning her last husband's children. Aldous actually had met her…He had to caution her that the police were starting to dig."

"And this is Abigail…Not particularly evil in soul…But…As you can see…"

"What the hell happened there?" he eyed the hulking brute.

"A little manipulation gone wrong…I guess Daddy was doing a bit of playing around with genes in his girls and was going the Bela Lugosi route in some of us. Abby was no doubt intended to be an extra strong version of us…Though Aldous wasn't sure if she was just an accident with Duncan's synthetic sequences."

"Losing me here…" Vic noted.

"Father…Dr. Ethan Duncan…And mother…Susan Duncan…Inserted synthetic sequences into our DNA to control us and, I suspect, to experiment a bit. My father affected quite the absent-minded, lovable British scientist but there was a good bit of Frankenstein in there." She eyed poor Abby's image. "Anyway Abby's not only very strong but very emotional and somewhat limited in intellect. She's killed by accident and in anger and had a career of petty theft to survive. Charming girl, just out of prison and on the street…New York, to be precise. Aldous didn't contact her directly but as with all the others, she'd been monitored. Though with most of these members of the darker side of the Clone Club, several monitors were needed over the years."

"Wait…" Vic stared at the images, now four open… "You're planning to get them to help you? Why would they help you and not kill you, if they're all so…Crazy?"

"Blood…And revenge…Are thicker than water, Victor. Besides they like money and prefer, in general, to keep out of prison." She beamed.

"Except perhaps…Jeanne…Our French sister…" she smiled. "Helena never got wind of her, thanks to Aldous. A shame really…It would have been interesting to see two psychotics like them duel it out. But, we may yet get the chance." She smiled at the tightly-bobbed, well-dressed young brunette girl. "A serial killer, she especially likes to kill children. Very respectable in her lifestyle, married to a very sweet young man for seven years who suspects nothing and whom she'd kill for to keep that way…She was even a nun for a while. My anti-Helena/Alison in one package…" smile. "Now she I will need to find something very special for as an incentive…"

"Helena?" Vic asked.


	8. Chapter 8

"Orphans Beloved: "Fade to Dark…"

Summary: Like my Immortal Beloved bits in my Buffyverse stories, these are fragments and short bits, some longer…Just to fiddle with ideas, possibly forming longer tales later.

Rachel forms an unholy alliance with Bonnie Johansen and the Dark Side of the Clone Club.

Disclaimer: No copywrite infringement intended…

(Note-I'll see how this one goes, may pull it into a full tale)

Part VIII…

Northern Canada…

About thirty miles from a secret military base.

From which a most unique prisoner has just escaped…

"Any chance you could tell me what this is about…? I got a schedule to keep." the oil tank trucker in heavy coat and flap-eared hat eyed the Mark clone sergeant and his four men, the men now swarming over his large tank truck on the snow-slick road.

"Matter of national security, sir. I can't tell you any more. Could we take a walk?" clearly not meaning it as a request…

The trucker eyed the tall, well-built, and well-armed soldier…Hmmn.

"Uh…I guess." he followed Mark.

"I'm not gonna be shot, am I?" he asked as they moved into a small grove, trees covered in snow.

"Only if you're lying to me without duress." Cool reply. "Are you being compelled by anyone, sir?"

"What?"

"Is a blonde female of possibly foreign extraction forcibly riding with you, holding your family or a friend, or threatening you in any way?"

"A female? A woman? No…" the trucker in consternation… "Why do you think…?"

"Can't answer that, sir. I had to check if you were under duress. For your own safety and anyone the woman might be endangering if you have anything to tell me, say so now."

"No…" the trucker shook head. "No one's got me 'under duress' or whatever…There's no one with me."

The soldier eyed him calmly, considering. Then looked over to where the squad had completed its search…

Nothing…A private mouthed.

"All right, sir. You may proceed. And the government of Canada thanks you for your support here." the soldier nodded, offering hand which the trucker shook, a bit stunned.

"Expect that you may be stopped again. I assure you, it's nothing personal."

"Uh…Right…Well, thanks. I'll be on my way." Nod.

The soldier and his squad, collected by him now watched the tanker head off.

"See he's stopped again in twenty miles. If she did evade us somehow, she may relax." He told one of the men who pulled radio and began speaking…

"She couldn't be…" the private who'd waved all clear stared at him as the one on radio gave the order to stop the tanker further down the highway. "…we searched every nook and cranny on that thing."

"Maybe so…But my orders are to assume she can do the impossible. And I've seen proof of it." Grim sigh.

From a snowbank, up the side of the steep hill from the highway, Helena peered a bit.

Just got off in time…Hmmn…Well, what's to do now…?

Not exactly good place to hitch-hike. She watched as three of the squad drove off in one enclosed jeep, the other and the sergeant waiting behind at their own vehicle.

Well…They wants so much to find me…She reflected.

….

"There…" Rachel beamed at the computer screen…Frowning at the crusty bit of food debris on it. Eehew… "The contact numbers for the ladies' monitors, such as they are. The first step in recruiting them for my own little anti-clone club."

Vic rolling eyes, regarding her with no attempt to conceal…

"You've something to say, Victor?" she glared.

"Just that our original agreement stands…I don't do dirty work."

"Fine…Agreed." Hard stare… "But if I swear if you try to warn Sarah…Or any of them…"

"And we're back to pain on me…" he sighed. "So tell me…? Do you ladies ever get tired of hurting me?" he asked.

"Do you ever tire of that sad sack routine?" she frowned. "You want our respect, respect yourself, Victor."

"Not bad…Though you should talk, gurl." He eyed her, smiling.

"Believe me…" she glared. "There is nothing...Nothing… Wrong…With my self-res…" she turned at the sound of buzzing phone.

"Hello…" she spoke cautiously into her phone…The special "Aldous" phone… "Aldous?" she asked hopefully.

Vic watching her face…Which fell suddenly… She immediately wiping the momentary despair.

"Yes, it's Ms. Duncan, for Dr. Leekie. Thanks for calling back, Morris. How is…? What?" frown. "Listen, it's your job to maintain contact whether she wants it or not. Well, there's always money, you know…Amy's very fond of money, it's probably the only reason she's not killed you yet. Tell her someone important, with money for her wants to meet her. Soon." Sigh. "Well, then…Leave her a message, you idiot. And stress that it involves money, a lot of money and a reasonable chunk of it up front…Good. Tell her I want to meet, in daylight…In public…And with no food or drink involved."

Amy, right…The Red Widow…Vic sighed. Well, journey of a thousand steps clearly involves wading through some deep shit. To complete the circle back…

….

Snow-covered road, east of Hudson Bay…Five hundred plus miles north of Toronto…

"You know I know you…" Helena noted as the sergeant, frowning slightly, drove along, his currently trussed up subordinate's gun jammed in his side. A subordinate whose current sufferings he would rather have magnified, given the ease with which Helena had surprised and overpowered the clumsy idiot to secure a weapon, the same now sticking in the sergeant's ribs.

Well, any hope of retaining that "sergeant" rank now gone, he reflected. Though given Helena's recent displays of mercy, he could retain some hope of surviving at least until Colonel Dierden got hands on him.

But as to this "knowing" me kick? Well, at least something to distract from thoughts on my unfortunate future, he thought. And if she could be distracted…

"I don't think that's possible, ma'am." He eyed her briefly.

"Oh, yes…Mark, was name. A Proleithian. But it was not you, was it?" careful stare.

"No, ma'am."

"And you have no twin brother…" sidelong glance.

"No, ma'am." He shook head.

"Interesting…" she smiled. "I think I sees why the Queen's guys wanted me." She paused.

"Just one. I'm a few. No family, too. Who am I?" she eyed him.

"What?"

"Sorry…A riddle me sestras like to say. Never heard before?"

"No, ma'am." Shake of head.

"Ok…Please turn here…To left." She pointed.

"Ma'am?"

"You were watching road too well…We are near another stop with your guys." She smiled. "Lets take scenic route."

"Ma'am, it's not possible to go this way. You're endangering us both."

"We go as far as we can…But drive careful, please. I'm pregnant. And got family now to live for…" rather warm smile.

….


	9. Chapter 9

"Orphans Beloved: "Fade to Dark…"

Summary: Like my Immortal Beloved bits in my Buffyverse stories, these are fragments and short bits, some longer…Just to fiddle with ideas, possibly forming longer tales later.

Rachel forms an unholy alliance with Bonnie Johansen and the Dark Side of the Clone Club.

Disclaimer: No copywrite infringement intended…

(Note-I'll see how this one goes, may pull it into a full tale)

Part IX…

Monday morning, downtown Toronto…

"So you're sayin' you can't handle this?" Vic eyed the frowning tall man in crumpled overcoat who examined the driver's license and sheet of numbers he'd just been handed with a frown.

"What do you want from me, ya low-life? You think I can just go and pull it out of thin air?" the man glared. "This ain't no third-rate shit account you swiped outta a guy's minivan. This is serious shit. And a bank that doesn't play with its dick, dickhead." He pushed the license and paper back across the table.

"Gerald…You hurt me." Vic sighed. "You hurt me, in front of my client here…" he indicated Rachel in pulled low stocking cap and sunglasses beside him, black patch on her damaged eye. Non-descript if warm heavy coat wrapped tight round her.

"Your client?" Gerald eyed the girl.

Right…The Manning chick again.

"Another routine going, eh? Not interested, dickhead. Have a nice day…You, too, girlie." He rose. "Nice touch with the pirate patch…"

"Sit down." Rachel commanded, coldly. "You're going nowhere."

"Nice way your girl talks to me…You gonna shut her up or do I…?" Geral d gasped suddenly as Rachel kicked him, viciously from under the table.

"Caught your attention as well as your balls?" She asked, pleasantly.

He glared at her.

"We're armed and I will shoot you." She hissed.

"Hey…" Vic put up a hand. "We're not into the violence here…We're reasonable folk, lets just settle down. Lets chill, guys."

"F-you…" Gerald fumed. "Tell the Manning girl that if she thinks she can pull…" he paused as Rachel pressed the barrel of her gun into his thigh.

"I don't bluff, Gerald." She noted. "Nice to see you remember me though. Forgive the fancy patter, but part of the action we're engaged…That's coming down…Downtown. Right, Vic?"

"Uh…Yeah. Sure." He nodded.

"I can't handle this…Honestly." Gerald sighed. "I try to fuck around with these m-fers and I'm back in the slammer. Too rich for me."

"Why? It's my account." Rachel noted. "I just want Victor to have access without it appearing or taking much time. It's just a privacy issue."

"Seriously? Privacy…" he mimicked her English tone. "It's your account, Manning? With the name Rachel Duncan on it?"

"My real name…I found my family a little while ago and they left me some money, so long as I acknowledged the name they gave me before I…Got lost."

"Are you f-ing kidding me?" frown.

"Victor?" Rachel looked at him.

"All true, friend." He nodded to Gerald. "A lucky break, but we prefer the family not get too close till things are sure."

"And you got proof of this?" Gerald, shaking head.

"US and Canadian licenses, passport, my last utility bill with address…All for Rachel Duncan." Rachel noted, pushing the cards and envelope across."

"So? Why go through me?" Gerald, suspicious look.

"I want Victor on the account and I need that done today. You're supposed to be a man who can do things like that quickly, even when it's not legit…Mate." She added, hastily. "And for once, it is."

"But you don't want it to show… Why is that?" Gerald asked, raised eyebrows.

"None of your business. What, you think I'm robbin' me twin sister or something?" Rachel eyed him, slight smile.

"That would be true to course, Manning, from what I know of you." Gerald, calmly.

"Fine. There are family members who know of me past and who'd like to block me gettin' anything that's due me. That's it. You in, for twenty percent, 20,000 Canadian? Or out?"

"Thirty and this had better be true." Gerald noted.

"Thirty…If no traces show…And Victor goes with ya to make sure there are no traces. Vic…" Rachel turned to him. "If he pulls anything or screws it in the slightest detail, the game's over and I'll take my chances on our own. Gerald, nice to meet ya." She got up out of the booth, pulling up her coat, and headed out on to the street, pausing to look back in through the window at them.

"Interesting chick as always…She's got the classy accent nailed." Gerald, nodding after her.

"That she is and yeah, she's been workin' on it. You ready?" Vic eyed his companion.

"I'll do my best work…" Gerald noted. "But just remember, I'm only a junior manager."

"Who doesn't want anyone, including the missus and the kids, to find out about his wilder days with me and the ole gang, right?" Vic eyed him. But put up a hand at the stare… "Just puttin' the cards down, bro. No intimidation intended."

"You know I don't. Ok, so long as I see everything can be kept as clean as possible…But one sign of a con, Vic…"

"Understood." Nod.

…

"Seriously…You want me to talk to these people?" a tense voice from a seated figure in heavy black coat, masses of red hair flowing on her shoulders. Narrow look, languid sigh. "I don't like these people, Morris. They frighten me, all that implying…Implying mean things of me…" pout.

"Do I look like someone who'd kill a child?"

"Look, sweetheart.." the heavy set man sweating into his too-tight suit sighed, pushed up glasses, and took up a wheedling tone, ignoring her question. "You want to know more about this Dyad Corporation and your doppelgangers, correct?"

"I want to know if I've been violated…And whom I can sue." Sulky look.

"Haven't I always done right by you, sweetheart? Hasn't Morrie always taken care of his Amy?"

"Most of the time…" she acknowledged, with shrug. "But this sounds dangerous. You know the police were asking all sorts of questions the last time. Why didn't they make them all go away if they want to be friends?" the girl noted.

"Not that easy, sweetheart."

"You'd be surprised." Sneering grin. 


End file.
